Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, September 5th, 2025:
PRODUCTION NOTES
Yes, this newsletter should have gone out late Thursday evening, but there were some technical issues at Too Much TV world headquarters. Thank you for your patience.
DAVID ELLISON'S REASONS FOR CONTROLLING PARAMOUNT GLOBAL ARE LIKELY NOT WHAT YOU THINK
From a strictly economic standpoint, Elon Musk's decision to acquire Twitter/X was a terrible idea. He overpaid for the acquisition and the company has continued to lose value in the years since. But if you're a billionaire, losing tens of millions of dollars is a bit like most of us losing $100 at the casino slot machines. It's annoying, but it won't have a huge impact on our lives.
Musk bought Twitter not because he thought it was a smart business deal. But because it allowed him to accomplish some goals that were personally important to him. It provided an unfiltered platform for his views and it allowed him to increase his influence with the media types who still frequent Twitter/X. But controlling X also allowed him to help boost the voices that he believed would help him accomplish his overall personal goal of pushing back against political beliefs he believed were too liberal and too worker-friendly. So in the end, losing money on Twitter was a win for him, because the tradeoff was a delivering a win in the culture wars.
And in much the same way, David Ellison's decision to acquire Paramount Global is driven less by economic reasons than by his calculation that it will provide him some wins in other areas he finds important. And as a billionaire with a father who is even richer, Ellison can afford to acquire a company with a future that is mixed at best.
First of all, being the head of a legacy Hollywood studio is fun. It puts you into the pantheons of the entertainment world's culture and Ellison wanted to be the face for Paramount for the same reason Davis Zaslov wants to be the face of Warner Brothers - being a studio mogul is still a big deal.
But for Ellison - like Musk - controlling Paramount provides him the opportunity to mold a bit of the culture into his worldview. A world view which doesn't seem to be all that different than the one held by Musk, John Malone and other wealthy moguls. The media is too liberal, workers have too much power, and why can't people just appreciate the good things billionaires are doing for the citizens of the United States?
If you have any doubt of that, pay attention to what Ellison has been focused on in the days and weeks since the merger closed with Paramount Global. Not the sad state of Paramount's streaming business, its struggles in the theatrical movie world or even what to do with the company's linear networks.
Instead, he's been focused on crafting a deal that will acquire uber-conservative flamethrower Bari Weiss’ The Free Press for an astonishing $100 million plus. And he is also telling people he plans to have Weiss take on some role at CBS News, which is ironic given that Ellison has said publicly that he wants the news organization to be "less partisan."
And what does Ellison's "non-partisan news network look like? Well, after an interview on the CBS Sunday talker Face The Nation, DHS head Kristi Noem complained CBS had “deceptively” edited the interview and “tried to cover up” some of her Kilmar Abrego Garcia allegations. After the network released the full video and transcript, what was clear was that CBS edited out some of her more baseless and inflammatory comments about Garcia, including unproven allegations the government was legally unable to include in their indictment of Garcia.
So today CBS News announced that moving forward, Face The Nation has implemented a new policy to "increase transparency." Now the talker will only air interviews live or "live-to-tape." To be clear, no news organization has a responsibility to air unedited lies. And it's worth noting that no other major news organization will do this. Including Fox News, which frequently edits interviews with President Trump.
So when you are looking at what happens with Paramount Global in the upcoming weeks and months, don't look at it through the lens of what makes the best business sense for Paramount. Look at it through the lens of what forwards David Ellison's vision of how the media world should be.
SOME WEEKEND VIEWING SUGGESTIONS
Here are a few things to have on your radar for the weekend:
The Paper (Peacock)
I was watching some concert video of a band that is comprised of musicians who used to play with various classic rock bands. They aren't the stars of those groups, but some of the journeymen players behind the hits. They were performing various hit classic rock songs and while everything was technically proficient, the results just didn't quite hit the mark. I won't say it was soulless, but it was just missing that spark that separates workmanlike from special.
I felt a lot of the same mixed emotions watching the new comedy The Paper, which premiered Thursday on Peacock. The series is from creators Greg Daniels (The Office) and Michael Koman (Nathan for You) and I suspect it was pitched as "We want to do something like The Office, but not The Office." And unfortunately, that's the show that we end up with. Not The Office.
Set at a failing Toledo newspaper, The Paper isn't a terrible show. It has some strong performances and a scattering of laugh out loud moments. But it ultimately feels like some 2nd-generation copy of a broadcast network comedy. It doesn't quite come together, in much the same way that band of veteran rock performers weren't able to match the magic of the original music. It's not a bad show and given the lack of new TV comedies overall, it's worth watching. But I wouldn't make it a priority, which is a surprise, given the talent behind the show.
Blood & Myth (Hulu)
True crime documentaries have become a streaming television staple and it might be tempting to overlook Blood & Myth. Particularly given that it streams on Hulu, which is filled with low-cost true crime specials being cranked out by ABC News. But this is one worth watching and it is one that will leave you thinking about cultural identity and the many things we still don't know about the world around us.
The documentary follows the story of Teddy Kyle Smith, an Alaskan native who had success starring in the 2011 film On The Ice. Like a lot of Alaskans living in remote villages, Smith struggled with substance abuse issues and when his mother died, Smith feared he would be blamed for her death. So he fled, which led to him later shooting two hunters, a crime which landed him in jail for life.
The film is narrated by Teddy Kyle Smith, a fellow resident, who became obsessed with Smith's story after hearing his explanation for why he had committed the crimes: he had been influenced to do so by Iñukuns, which are mythical dwarf-like creatures from Inuit folklore. According to Smith, the Iñukuns spoke to him and convinced him to commit the crimes.
While the explanation sounds nonsensical, Blood & Myth does a masterful job of making the claim seem - well, if not believable, at least plausible if you're a native Alaskan. It's a fascinating look at what people believe and how it might impact how they see the world. And while I don't know that I believe in existence of Iñukuns, it's clear that some people do. Which is a story worth hearing.
TWEET OF THE DAY
ODDS AND SODS
* A Very Jonas Christmas Movie will premiere Friday, November 14th on Disney+
* Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed an antitrust lawsuit recent filed by Newsmax against Fox News.
* Mark Volman has died at the age of 78. He and his longtime music partner Howard Kaylan created a lot of great music as part of The Turtles and Flo & Eddie. But one of my favorite tunes of his is this Beatles-like musical tribute to a beloved figure in children's television, "We Are All Gumby."
SUPPORT THE BACK INDIE MEDIA DRIVE
As I mentioned in an earlier email, Too Much TV is part of a September Back Indie Drive, in which 30+ independent publications are taking part. Each one is run by a creator-model journalist who’s building something sustainable, bold, and deeply needed in today’s fractured media environment.
Every day this month I am going to quickly highlight a publication from the campaign list and I hope you'll check them out. Supporting independent media has never been more important and there are truly some talented journalists on the list:
Subscribe for free here. Or you can can upgrade to a paid subscription at this link.
WHAT'S COMING THIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH:
Dish It Out Series Premiere (Prime Video)
Highest 2 Lowest (Apple TV+)
Inspector Zende (Netflix)
Love Con Revenge (Netflix)
Memphis To The Mountain (Hulu)
Most Wanted: Teen Hacker (HBO Max)
Queen Mantis Series Premiere (Netflix)
Rel Talk (Tubi)
The Great British Baking Show Collection Thirteen (Netflix)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH:
Confidence Queen Series Premiere (Prime Video)
Girl Who Vanished (Lifetime)
Have I Got News For You Season Premiere (CNN)
The Snake Catcher (Animal Planet)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH:
Football Night In America Season Premiere (NBC)
Magnolia Table: At The Farm Series Premiere (Magnolia Network)
MTV Video Music Awards (CBS/MTV)
Sugar Mama (Lifetime)
Sunday Night Football Season Premiere (NBC)
Task Series Premiere (HBO)
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Series Premiere (Netflix)
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season Three Premiere (AMC/AMC+)
Timber Titans Season Premiere (Weather Network)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH:
Dr. Seuss’s Red Fish, Blue Fish Series Premiere (Netflix)
Entertainment Tonight Season Forty Five Premiere (Syndicated)
Flip Side Season Two Premiere (Syndicated)
Her Mother's Killer Season Premiere (Netflix)
Hot Bench Season Twelve Premiere (Syndicated)
Inside Edition Season Thirty-Eight Premiere (Syndicated)
Irish Blood Season One Finale (Acorn TV)
LEGO Masters Jr. Season One Finale (Fox)
Monday Night Football Season Fifty-Six Premiere (ABC/ESPN)
POV: The Age Of Water (PBS)
Secrets Of Celebrity Sex Tapes (A&E)
The Crow Girl Series Premiere (Acorn TV)
The Drew Barrymore Show Season Six Premiere (Syndicated)
The Perfect Line Series Premiere (Syndicated)
The Quiz With Balls Season Two Finale (Fox)
The View Season Twenty-Nine Premiere (ABC)
Weather Hunters Series Premiere (PBS Kids)
SEE YOU ON SUNDAY NIGHT!